Clutch



June 30,1925. 1,544,441 k v S. P. GRIFFIN CLUTCH Filed me 27. 1924 ZSheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

I amen- :01,:

" SJ. GRIFFIN,

attorney Patented June 30, 1925. T

UNITED. STATES,

LPAIIENTO r ca.

' CLUTCH.

Application filed June 27, 1924. Serial No. 722,754.

Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL P. GRIFFIN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Orlando, in the county of Orange and State of Florida, have invented certain .new'and useful Improvements in Clutches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing. i

The present invention relates to clutches, and has for its object the provision of novel and useful improvements in clutches using toggle devices for obtaining an effective connection of the clutch members.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in View, which will be apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts, as

hereinafter described and claimed, it beingv understood that changes-can be made within the scope-of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Figure 1 is an elevation of a clutch con taining the improvements and intended particularly for use on an automobile or motor vehicle, portions being the line 1-1 of Fig. 2. Y

22 of F 1, with the supporting brackets or hangers removed. i

Fig. 3 1s a dlametrlcal section of another form of clutch containing the improvements,

portions being shown in elevation, and the clutch being in closed position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. the clutch in open position.

a with are in alinement, and their adjacent ends enter a casing 13 which houses the clutch, and which can contain lubricant for keep ing the parts lubricated. One member of the clutch comprises a disk 14 secured on the terminal of the shaft 11 within the cits-,-

ing 13 and having a rim 15 surrounding the shaft 12, said rim being formed at its inner periphery with. a shoulder 16. The' other or companion clutch member comprises a disk 17, which is conical as shown, and which has a rim 18 extending in the same direction as the rim 15 and located within" and spaced from said rim 15. The disk'or clutch member 17 has a hub or sleeve: 19 siidably mounted on the shaft 12.

shown in section on- The disk 17 is made to. rotate with the shaft-12 by the provision of a collar 20 secured on the terminal of the; shaft 12 between the disks 14 and 17 by means of a key 21, so that said collar turns with the shaft 12. of the hub 19 have a sliding connection so that they rotate one with the other. Thus, the collar 20 has longitudinal open slots 22 receiving lugs 23 projecting from the correspondingend of-the'hulo 19,6WlllCl1 per- -mits'the disk 17 to slideaxially. By this arrangement, a strong connection between the disk 17. and shaft 12 is provided, without using a feather or' spline between the hub 19 and shaft 12.

The rim 18 is provided with openings 24 (three as shown) in which clutch shoes 25 are slidable parallel-xwith the axis of the shafts 11v and12, and said shoes have soles 26 of suitable friction vnraterial secured thereto to bear against the inner cylindrical periphery of therim 15. The soles 26 are secured to the shoes 25 by'screws 27, whereby the soles or wear pieces can be replaced when worn out.- v

A toggle deiu'ce is provided between the shoes 25' and hub 19, including the toggle ...li1'1ks' 28 which have ball and socket con- Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line seated in recesses 30 in the shoes 25, and

retainer plates 31 are secured to the backs of the shoes 25, bymeans ofscrews 32, or the like, and have openings receiving the plates 35 bearing against thehub 19, and retainer plates36 bear. againstthe. plates 35 Thecollar20 and adjacent end- .balls 29 for holdingsaid balls in the 'refcesses 30. The links 28 have theballs 33 at theirinner ends seatedin recesses 34in Reference being had to Figs. 1 and 2,. the driving shaft 11 and driven shaft 12 and have openings receiving the balls 33- for holding them in-the'recesses 34. The

plates 35 and :36'aresecured together and "to the hub 19 by :means' of screws or bolts 371 The retainerplates 31 overlap the inner periphery of the rim 18, but are normally spaced from said'rim, and will, by contact with the rim,slimit the outward movement of the shoes in the-openings 24, this being of particular advantage when the clutch is opened.

Coiled springs 38 are confined between the shoes 25 and those ends of the openings 24 opposite to the disks 14 and l7,whereby the springs 38' have a tendency to move the shoes 25 in the openings 24 toward the disks,

vvhereby theshoes aremoved inwardly away from the riin'15 b theswingingmove-I mment' of the toggle inks 28 which are I anchored to the hub 19.

and is confined between the hub 19 anda;

, collar 40 secured by a set screw 41 or otter Wise on the shaft 12,whereby-the expansion' a der considerable pressure; The shoes tlitis of the spring39 will slide the hub 19 and 1di-sk17 toward the disk I lto bringitheshoes e gains't the shoulder 16. This urging: of

the disk '17-tovvar d the vdisk 141103 the spring i 39, will" automzttica'lly clo'se the clutch. Thus; theshoies. 2'5- zire brouglit agaiiist-the ishoulder 16', which Willstopthe movement of the shoes toward the-disk 14; and the disk 17 ibeingsrnoved further :on *byth'e' spring :39,

1 Will move-the in ne'rfends" of the toggle links 28 toward the pleneof theouterendspfthe toggle links; ztherebyai tending to straighten out the toggle devicesysothat' the shoes25 are forced outwardly ageiinst the rim 151m- 'contact "with the rim lfi'xvith suchpressure that the clutch members and shafts'rotate one with the othef'." .VVhen the spring- 39' 7 moves the disk 17 furt-h'e1" thanthe-shoes'QS,

' the'springs 38 areco1npressed-,.but the spring the disk 17 starts tomoveaway fromithe 39 I is stronger: than the aggregate strength ofthe springs-38; '7 i e v In order to'open the clutch; the sleeve'19 anddisk-17 are retracted fioin the disk 14,-:-

the'reby compressing "the spring 39; When disk 14, the inner ends offthe'toggle-links are moved likewise; end-the shoes 25 are held agttinstthe shoulder 16' bythe 'springs' until the shoes" come into coritectvvrth :the 7 ends of the openings? 24'nearest' to.theqdisk V "14." In:this wey,i the=inner end outer ends 1 of the toggle-links are; separated longiturim 15, 'soras'to Yo'penth'e' ohitchi Wheii 'the dinally of theaxis of the c'lhti-h; endi'this" will, by 'thetswingingwmo'vement off the toggle links, iretractf" the" shoes 25 fiiom the ivdisk- 17 is retracted tof'move'tlf cor're's ond in'g ends oftlie openings 24:" beyon the I shoulder 16, the shoes '25 are removed from r Saidrshouldei; as well'es beingspaced from ithe-inn'er periphery of the'rim v 7 AS- shown, the means-for recreating the vclutcli'men b'er or disk-17 comprises arock shaft 42 journaled in the eafsiiig 13" andhaving t" fork 4'3" eng iging: an annular" groove 44 in the 'hub-19,e pedal jbeing-- secured to the "rockshaft'at the'ext'erior of the casingzifor o'peliingi'tlie clutch byfoot 7 pressure although other ectu'ating meiins can .beused;

The clutch shovvn F igss 1 'and12 is in-" tended especially for useon automobiles and s other motor vehicles, although it can be {use in? shops, machines; andwthe likef The used for other purposes;

" Figs; 3 and e-"show a clutch for general second-form'of clutch 'elso; contains addi 1 mm impmvementswhemby the clutch will remeinjopen or closed.

The clutch member or on"the"shajft""11" and has the rim 15 pro vided with the shoulder 16, zind'the clutch disk 14L is secured:

member or disk 17 has a riin 18 extending in the :same direction as the rim 15 and located therein and being spaced therefrom.

The hub 19 isloo'se on=the shaft 12 1ongiti1diiralsliding movementna-ndds shdi ablyconnected- .v'vit'hftl re shii'ft 12" by the collar-20" fastened by the key 21 onhthe endxof'the':shaftlQflsaid collar having the j v V projecting froln' theend ofithe sleeve or'hiib I 19. The rim 18" has openings 24? in which f shoes 25 are movable, and the soles 26 m L slots 22- receiving. the lugs OIKtOngiies-EW secured to j the" shoes by "the serews 27? Toggle links 28 ere provided between. the shoes and :hub; 'andhave the bills: 29 at the outer-endsseatingT-in-the recesses 36) of the 31- secured-to theshoes byi-therscrews 32. The retainer'plates 3-15 provide-stops to coin t aotwvith the rim 182" to limit the outward movement of; the shoes inthe openings 24.

The balls 33''- at the inner'ends'of thetoggle V 1 links areseated in recesses 3 i; of plates 35' and: retainer plates 36'; surround the balls 38' are confinedbetween,the-fshoes" 25" and those, ends of thee the; disks 14? and 11-7 QT-he tog'gle links 28" are] constructed [to be compressed yieldinglyflengthwise and to havelimited longitudinalexpansion. Thus;

V and the section l7 extending slide-blythere- I iii for :the' longitudinal contraction and exeatch= link comprises-' the tubular section 46 enings- 2 1 oppositeto shoes and held'thereinby therretainevplates '95, V 33" and hold'them i'n the recesses, screws orbolts 37:TSec-uring {the plates o 35; and 365 to one another and-"to the hub 19". Springs pansion'ofthelink;, A coiled-spring 18 is der filromtne seetione'i' whe-n the sections the predetermined limit. 7

The d'skl? is moved showm: a -';;lever 4 551s provided having a V toward and away i V fliom'the disk 14';by;suitab1e means. ;As

fork 43f engaging; the annular} groove 44' H in the hubf19, andthe movementof the disk 17! wvfdy from theldisk le" is limited by a collar 40; securedyontheishaft 12-.1by asetfl v screw 41forth'e like." r.

' When the disk 17' is moved: toward" the disk 14; a's seefiv in 'Fig 3, the shoes? 25"" coritactwwith the shoulder 16" and i i are stopped in" their movement toward the disk 14,- while they disk-17: is moved further against the rim Furthermore, the inner ends of the toggle links being moved nearer to the disks than the outer ends of the links,

will lock the clutch in closed position, inasmuch as the expansive action of the toggle links will have a tendency to move the disk 17 toward the disk 14'.

In order to open the clutch, the disk 17 is forcibly moved away from the disk 14, and the inner ends of the toggle links being moved into and past the plane of the outer ends of} the links, will compress the links slightly, and then, as the inner ends .of the links move away from said plane, as seen in Fig. 4, the links expand and assist; in the movement of the disk 17 away from the disk 14, as well as holding the disks separated. The springs 38. hold the shoes 25 against the shoulder 16 until the, shoes are moved with the disk 17 away from said shoulders, as seen in Fig. 4. As the links expand, by the expansion of the springs 48, the flanges 50 and collars 51 will come into contact, thereby limiting the expansion of the links, and when the links are swung 14 against the stop collar 40, so that the clutch will remain open. I

The toggle links 28 can also be used in the clutch shown in Figs. land 2, by eliminating the spring 39, and using the pedal or lever for opening and closing the clutch.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is r 1. A clutch comprising a clutch member having a rim, a shaft, a second clutch memher having a hub mounted loosely on said shaft, the second clutch member having a rim, shoes movable in the lastna ned rim to contact with the firstnamed rim, toggle links connecting said shoes and second clutch member for thrusting .the shoes against the firstnamed rim when the secondnamed clutch member is slid, on said shaft, and a collar secured on said shaft, said collar and hub having a'sliding connection for turning the second clutch member and shaft one with the other.

2. A clutch comprising alining shafts, a disk secured on one shaft and having a rim, a second disk having a hub mounted loosely on the other shaft and having a rim within the firstnamed rim, shoes movable in the secondnamed rim to contact with, the firstnamed rim, toggle links connecting said shoes and hub for thrusting the shoes against the firstnamed rim when the secondnamed disk is slid on the secondnamed shaft, and a collar secured on the secondnamed shaft between the disks, said collar and hub having portions slidably engaging one another so that the'hub and secondnamed shaft turn one with the other.

signature.

SAMUEL P. GRIFFIN. 

